After watching “Monsters and Aliens”, he put two cars under his feet and started to skate around the house. After watching Olympic speed skating, he put dvd cases and cd cases under his feet and sped around the house. We had a birthday party of a friends to go to, at a skate rink, and I knew that would be too much of a temptation, and I figured it would be rare that they would have skates his size… so, off to Toys R Us.

Fisher Price skates = $25. Elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards (little gloves) and helmet… well, it adds up. We let him pick out his own helmet, it’s Lightening McQueen, he loves it. Which means, he knows, he needs helmets and pads before the skates.

As soon as we came home with the skates, he had to put them on. (You know you live in Ohio when you are putting elbow pads on over a winter coat.) He showed the neighbor kids as we went up and down the few homes with clear sidewalks. He was so proud.

Then, onto the birthday party at the skate rink. He was fearless. I hovered nearby, until Dear Husband, who is pretty good on skates, told me to relax and let him have fun. So, I stood and watched as my 2 year old Little Man, on skates, went around and around and around the rink. Like a big boy. I was not ready for that.

Mommy and Daddy are trying to be consistent. But, after a day of work, it can be difficult. Yes, if Mommy and Daddy are tired, and just want a peaceful dinner, we have allowed standing meals (as long as he is eating). But last night, I got tired of the standing, and insisted on him sitting back in his highchair. I gave him some Legos. That way, when he was done eating, he played quietly with Legos. It was nice. Of course, I did totally give up the bib.

Bedtime, we have good days and bad days. If Mommy makes him go to bed, he cries for Daddy, and vice versa. And now that he can open doors, he can stand outside his bedroom door and cry. Luckily he doesn’t know how to open the babygate that is outside his door.

TV time has been interesting. He would love it if he could just watch Curious George, Martha Speaks and Thomas all the time. Maybe some movies in between. Daddy is tired of George. He wants to watch Stephen Colbert. Who wins? This tv war is still on debate. I try to make sure the two men in my house share the tv… Luckily they both enjoy Old Disney movies, like the Love Bug. :)

Little Man has learned about doors. A milestone, while necessary, scary for the adults living in the house. Thank goodness my pregnancy nesting self installed child locks and baby gates everywhere in the house.

So, doors. Freezer doors can be opened, and he can get a popsicle or look and point at the ice cream. Or get out the teething keys that are still in there. I am fine with that.

Bedroom doors, though… Open, close. Open, close. The first night that he learned doors last week, it took forever to get him to bed. Once again, thank goodness I installed baby gates at several doors upstairs, so I could lock him in. But sometimes, we don’t remember.

Yesterday morning, we woke up to see Little Man about to go down the stairs. He was thirsty, wanted juice and George. If we were heavier sleepers, he could have made it all the way down, but I am sure the cats and dogs would have gotten us up.

Last night, at 2am, I woke up to him crying, standing in the bathroom. He wanted a diaper change, and we have just started discussion about potties… so, he was in the right place. After that, I am locking the baby gate in front of his door…

Until he learns how to open that. Which will happen one day, and too soon for me.

I am coming to terms with why I feel guilty about taking sick days, or taking naps, falling asleep early, all of that. I am taking a sick day today, my first one since forever. But still, it takes a lot out of me to call in and state those words that I am staying at home today. A few years ago I learned (thanks to a wonderful and understanding boss) that it is best to take a few days off when you are starting to feel the symptoms of a cold off, that way you nip the cold in the butt, and feel better before you are at death’s door. We also had a rule that neither of us were allowed to show up in our office sick. We shared a small office together, so if one of us came in with germs, the other got it.

February 2007 my co-worker/boss and I learned how quick a bad cold/flu can pass between co-workers. I came in with a cold, just the sniffles I thought. Something that I just caught after my recent vacation to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Just tired. Just allergies. Just… so, I arrived at work, all sniffly, sneezy, miserable. Full of germs. I worked the 8 hour day and went home. The next morning… fever, aches, everything. It lasted with me for a week, hubby for a week, and my boss was very upset that it lasted with him for a week. A month later, everyone was fine. But, I learned from that experience…

DO NOT GO TO WORK WITH SYMPTOMS OF FLU/COLD!!! I must remember that as I stay at home and drink my tea and lemon.

Today, I am reading through this months, Bust Magazine, and I come across the most beautiful shoe… Fluvog.

And I have shoe lust. They have so many beautiful pairs of shoes. Red, Green, Turquoise… Heels, boots, and Tie-up boots! I surf through the photos of all the pretty shoes, and let my imagination wander. What I would wear with that shoe, how would it look on my foot, and how it would make me feel… Did you know that there was just a segment on the TODAY show about wheter high heels empower or constrain women? That news article echos in my head.

I used to wear a lot more fashionable shoes. But then comfort and stability became more necessary than color, form, and style. But after almost a year of just wearing comfortable shoes, some of which are very stylish, I am craving a pair of heels. Something with color. Maybe in red. Something that will pop.

And then the practical side takes a hold of me. The cost of one pair of shoes, is equal to what I am expecting to pay for a hotel room plus dinner for my anniversary with Dear and Darling Husband. And, really, which is more important??I’m thinking romantic dinner and hotel. The shoes can wait. They probably weren’t that comfortable anyway.

Little Man asked to play with some toys off the shelf. I obliged. I asked him if he wanted to play with Yoda or Darth Vader. He choice Darth Vader. Now, he has never seen the movie, and is too young to have a pop-culture knowledge of who these figures are. With all that said, he knew that Darth and Yoda battled. As I held Yoda, “Control, Control, Control, you must learn control!”, Little Man attacked with “I find your lack of faith disturbing”.

Little Man has them now sitting next to him while he and Daddy-O cuddle up to enjoy a Saturday morning movie (of Little Man’s choice). Today’s movie choice is Underdog. Maybe he’s not so dark afterall.

Okay, I’m a foodie. I have been for years. Dear Husband thinks it’s funny, but food, for me, has memories, the smells, the tastes, can bring you back. I think I get this from my Father. Dad always had Saturday spaghetti, and it would cook all day long. And when Dad made spaghetti, the smell would fill the entire house. It reminds me of Saturday football games, movies, doing laundry on the couch, and the occasional call to "stir the sauce". And then dinner would be conversation, visits with friends (or dates), and in later years, wine and laughter.

I am a believer in savoring good food. Why waste waistlines, calories, and time on bad food? (unless it is nutrionally necessary, that is). I also have some hard to find foods, that are special treats, these are items that you can’t find in the grocery store, or that you don’t buy every week. While it is possible to live on chocolate truffles everyday, if you had it everyday, it would just be ordinary. And I don’t have the money to import the French truffles for everyday treats.

So, why did this come about today? I opened a bag of Grippos famous Barbeque chips today.

If you don’t know Grippos, they are made by a company founded in 1919 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They started out as a company that made ice cream cones, and then pretzels, and then chips. It seems to be a small company, not like Lays or Tostitos, and you can order through the website. I don’t know when I bought the bag, but when I saw it, I picked it up to save for a rainy day.

Well, today is rainy. After my sandwich, I bit into the first chip. Sweet red, salty, and a spice that still is lingering at the back of my throat. Crunch, crunch, crunch.